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Why drivers are leaving industry

VETERAN truckie Selwyn

Sinfield’s opinion piece about why discriminatory laws around fatigue are pushing truckies out of the driver’s seat draw plenty of support.

Andy Nguyen called for abolishment of all fatigue-related laws in his online response.

“Not everyone who drives heavy vehicles do so for work and we need to cut back on bureaucracy and red tape!” he wrote.

“In addition, let heavy vehicles travel the same speed as cars, even if overall maximum speed limits increase in future

Black panther roaming highways?

which I’d be keen to see that happening.”

Clive Cripps said the only other industry that is so heavily regulated is aviation.

“I have been involved with cases where a [flight] crew has gone out of hours which resulted in a flight being cancelled or delayed if a replacement crew could not be found. There were also working time regulations in place for ground staff involved with the servicing and maintenance of the aircraft.

I spent 48 years in the industry, 41 years of which were on permanent nights carrying out inspections and routine maintenance on a variety of large commercial aircraft from Tristars and 747s to A380s.

“Now ya talking,” added John Mcneill. “I totally agree with this.”

OUR Spy columnist’s story about an alleged recent sighting of a black panther roaming a Queensland highway sparked widespread debate amongst readers.

Wayne Agius was convinced he’d seen one run across the road around Paynes Find/Yalgoo area, along with several other drivers.

“Although that’s more like a grey tabby colour. There’s been dozens of sightings of a black one in the Lancelin dunes by 4wders. Dad n his best mate came face to face with one in the Forrests down south of Perth going back around 40 years ago.”

Gary James said he’d also seen one coming into Wagga from Gilenbah way: “2am 3/4’s of the way up the hill it run straight across the road and jumps the guard rail without jumping almost.”

“I have seen posts claiming tassie tigers (thylacines) are around Bordertown, SA, too,” added Julie Downey. “I agree with Spy’s last sentence though and go one further - pics, or it didn’t happen.”

Shae Stuart wrote that he grew up shooting roos with the “old fulla” and shot heaps of “feral cats”. “Only ever seen the one pitch black one with a metre long tale go over a farmer’s fence like it wasn’t there. I’m a rural contractor today. Still never seen anything close to that size.”

Jeff Douglass reckons he saw one years ago in bush around St Arnaud in Victoria: “They used to come down from the Grampians. Farmers lost several cattle and horses over the years.”